scratch paper

noun

: paper that may be used for casual writing

Examples of scratch paper in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But their work didn’t rule out the possibility of bizarre algorithms that could somehow use the same piece of memory for storage and calculations simultaneously—the computing equivalent of using a page filled with important notes as scratch paper. —Ben Brubaker, Wired News, 30 Mar. 2025

But their work didn’t rule out the possibility of bizarre algorithms that could somehow use the same piece of memory for storage and calculations simultaneously — the computing equivalent of using a page filled with important notes as scratch paper. —Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 18 Feb. 2025

This article, which started with simple estimates on a piece of scratch paper derived from Newton’s laws of motion, embodies both the spirit and the letter of that idea. March 2024 100. —The Upshot Staff, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2024

So go grab a pencil and a piece of scratch paper and prepare to rack your brain. —Richard Malena, Popular Mechanics, 9 Jan. 2023

Grab a pencil and a piece of scratch paper and prepare to rip your hair out (in the best way). —Richard Malena, Popular Mechanics, 3 Jan. 2023

His narrow office was dominated by a large chalkboard spanning one wall, and his desk and his table were overflowing with scratch paper. —Stephen Witt, The New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2022

Ronika McClain, who introduced them, officiated the ceremony, and the couple recited their own vows written on scratch paper. —Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue, 23 Sep. 2022

The following riddle is one particularly punishing problem—so go grab a pencil and a piece of scratch paper and prepare to rip your hair out (in the best way). —Richard Malena, Popular Mechanics, 22 Sep. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1899, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for scratch paper

• newspaper
• notepaper
• sandpaper
• skyscraper
• wallpaper
• wastepaper
• caper
• raper
• scraper
• shaper
• taper
• vapor